There has been a lot of speculation about a new PSP and especially about a new PlayStation Sony Ericsson smartphone being produced, but it the leaks have never been actually confirmed. I am eligible for an upgrade in March, so I have been on my toes to see if this new PSP phone will be a reality. Today, Bloomberg played with my nerves a little more. So, is Sony really releasing a PSP phone? Read on to find out!

The verdict?

(Almost) Confirmed.

Now what do I mean by that? There has been what I would call an “official” leak from someone within the company according to Bloomberg, claiming that the phone will be experimenting with different ways that it can use the PlayStation Network for applications, media, and games. It is still just that though, a leak. There has not been an official announcement by the company, although it will be “revealed” at the Mobile World Congress in February.

The PlayStation phone is definitely a reality, but when it will be officially released is the speculation. There have already been leaked videos from people testing it out in Japan, and it looks like a real challenger in the phone and portable gaming market.

My prediction? It will be revealed at the Mobile World Congress, then up for business in March. I’m praying that the carrier will be AT&T, but I am sure it is up for grabs between both AT&T and Verizon.

What we do know about it:

It will be modeled after the Sony Ericsson Xperia, called the Xperia Play. It will be an Android-based touchscreen phone that will connect with the PlayStation Network (and more). Price point is still unknown, but without a new contract, it will most certainly cost at least $400 to $500, if not more.

So what do you think? Will this be successful? Do you think that Nintendo will be pressured into making a phone? Also, how do you believe this will compete with the new Nintendo 3DS that has been confirmed to release around the same time? Remember, people are expecting more in smaller packages.